Eleonas Country Village

We spent a wonderful week as a small family in a cozy cottage with our own heated pool! We truly enjoyed our stay — the staff were very kind and helpful, and the food was absolutely delicious. Our host Manolis was fantastic, always ready with great tips for hikes and activities. He even treated us to his homemade olive oil tasting and shared his knowledge with us. It was an amazing vacation, and anyone looking to relax and enjoy nature will be perfectly happy at Eleonas Country Village!

We had a magical time here and cannot recommend more highly. Everyone working here is so kind and welcoming. The pool is so beautiful with a view of the mountains. The food is really good, too. And the cabins are so charming. We also loved the Rouvas Gorge hike. A WONDERFUL place!!!!

It’s the best family friendly spot hands down in the Mediterranean. We love Manolis and his staff, they always go one step above the rest. Eleonas is a great for families looking for a more relaxing, nature filled and super fun vacation. The property has beautiful agriculture with old olive groves mixed with younger groves, yummy olive oil,gardens with herbs, Mediterranean plants and trees, and surrounded by nature. I feel the landscape really hugs you on each step you take through the property and also wraps around eqch cottage. I’ve enjoyed seeing how the gardens have matured and grown in over the past couple years. The pools are great and warm enough for a lot of fun at the beginning of October and we enjoyed the sauna that was added by the new pool when the kids were napping. The food was delicious, fresh, generous, and very high quality. Tons of beautiful dishes at each meal. We loved how the dinner is now buffet style and prepared in small portions. My favorite dishes were the zucchini flowers and stuffed mushrooms. Breakfast is also awesome - Tons of salads, eggs, always fresh bread, fruits and yogurt and pastries. For our early flight Manolis made our family breakfast to go, which other places have done for us in the past, but not like this, so good - fresh fruit, sandwiches, yogurt honey, pastries, cake, cheeses..truly amazing. There is a short walk to the lake, and a gorge and lots of hiking and other outdoors activities to do. Also fun to chill and enjoy the fresh air and quiet. It was our second stay in three years and we’ll forsure be back!

What a fantastic place to stay. All the staff were so friendly and accommodating to us. The food was incredible every single day and was so authentic. The cottages were comfortable, private and quiet. This is the perfect place to explore central and south Crete (where the real Crete is) with fantastic hiking routes. Would highly recommend to everyone and certainly go back.

This was our sixth stay at Eleonas, and once again it exceeded all our expectations! We spent a wonderful week hiking through the stunning surroundings and enjoyed day trips to the seaside. The landscape is breathtaking, the accommodations are spotless and fully equipped, and the atmosphere is both peaceful and welcoming. The food is absolutely outstanding—every meal a real highlight—and the staff and owner are exceptionally warm, attentive, and helpful. With countless hikes and activities available nearby, there’s always something new to discover. Eleonas is truly the perfect place to relax, recharge, and feel completely at home. We can’t wait to return!

This is a really lovely place. We went as a family of five, with three children aged 6-15. We all had a wonderful time. The location is fantastic, surrounded by beautiful mountains which it is possible to walk in even in August provided you set off early. The children loved the swimming pools and outdoor gym on site, trips to the quieter beaches on the south coast and a trip to the excellent Kamihis Farm in Zaros. The restaurant served delicious food and importantly has a playground so the children from across the hotel met and played in the evenings which meant we got to finish our dinner in peace! Cannot recommend it enough and will definitely return any time we come to Crete again simply to relax.

From the moment we arrived at Eleonas Resort, I was relieved and impressed. The photos on the website and TripAdvisor are exactly what the rooms look like—spot on, down to the smallest detail. No surprises, no tricks—what you see is truly what you get.||We are a family of three with a teenage daughter, and the first thing she said when she walked into our room was: “This room is so beautiful—it looks like a Pinterest board!” And she was right. The design and attention to detail were stunning.||Our stay was nothing short of amazing. Manolis (the owner) is one of the kindest, friendliest, and most knowledgeable hosts we’ve ever encountered. He has truly made this place special, and you can feel it in every corner of the resort—from the rooms, to the warm attention to guests’ needs, to the overall look and feel of the hotel.||I’m a huge food lover and always seek out authentic flavors when I travel, so I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant about the buffet at first. I even told my family, “Let’s just take a look, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll order off the menu.” But after the very first night, all my doubts vanished. We stayed for seven days, and every single day the buffet impressed us with its variety, freshness, and quality. The dishes changed daily, everything was flavorful and beautifully prepared, and each meal felt thoughtful and authentic. We never once felt the need to order separately. The wine list was excellent and elevated the dining experience, while the breakfasts were equally fresh, plentiful, and satisfying.||Another highlight was the farm visit that Manolis recommended—it was the perfect touch to our trip and gave us a glimpse into the authentic side of Crete. And one evening, a live Cretan band played at the resort—an unforgettable experience that brought even more joy to our stay.||All in all, this was an incredible experience. I had been worried before we arrived since this isn’t the typical “tourist hotel” in a crowded resort area, but instead something more remote and personal. That turned out to be the best part—it felt authentic, relaxing, and exactly as described in every review.||Highly recommended—we left happy, relaxed, and already thinking about when we could return.

Eleonas is a slice of paradise. We spent four days here and had a fantastic experience. The rooms were beautiful and well-equipped. The food at the restaurant was delicious and fresh, and the manager was simply outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble and we were made to feel so special. |The villas are built on a hill so some mobility is required, but there are golf carts if people have any issues. |The pools were beautiful and clean. |Air conditioning worked perfectly and there was a fridge in our room to keep water cool.|Eleonas is brilliantly run, don’t hesitate to visit! |Heraklion is 55 minutes away, Matala 40 minutes. It’s a great base for exploring the island!